Vichy Liftactiv Peptide-C Sunscreen SPF 30 Versus Eucerin Intensive Repair Essential Oil Balm, Fragrance Free

Vichy Liftactiv Peptide-C Sunscreen SPF 30 Versus Eucerin Intensive Repair Essential Oil Balm, Fragrance Free

This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Urea to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%

Homosalate 5%

Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%

Octocrylene 7%

Water

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Silica

PEG-100 Stearate

Glyceryl Stearate

Glycolic Acid

Stearic Acid

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Steareth-100

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Hyaluronate

Myristic Acid

Cyclodextrin

Palmitic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Phenylethyl Resorcinol

Guanosine

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Tocopherol

Caprylyl Glycol

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Xanthan Gum

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Pisum Sativum Extract

Parfum

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 7%, Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Silica, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycolic Acid, Stearic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Steareth-100, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Myristic Acid, Cyclodextrin, Palmitic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Guanosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Pisum Sativum Extract, Parfum

Decyl Oleate

Octyldodecanol

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Alcohol

Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2

Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides

Cetyl Palmitate

Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate

Beeswax

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Urea

Glycine

Sodium PCA

Arginine Hcl

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Magnesium Stearate

Magnesium Sulfate

Decylene Glycol

Glycerin, Decyl Oleate, Octyldodecanol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Beeswax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Urea, Glycine, Sodium PCA, Arginine Hcl, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Water, Magnesium Stearate, Magnesium Sulfate, Decylene Glycol

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.

As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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